donx

My wife just called. She confirmed that they received the pink Test & Go receipt but either weren’t told or she ignored about scanning the QR code for a list of locations for the second PCR test. When I tried to explain all this to her and that Trang is now added at the end of the list she said she isn’t worried about the second test and that she’ll contact someone or someplace in Phatthalung. She’s got that Thai attitude that rules are meant to be broken. I’ll discuss all this with our son as he always tries to follow the rules.

My family’s hotel made them install the app. I’ll ask them if they received a pink Test & Go receipt at the airport. They didn’t mention such a receipt earlier, but that was probably because I didn’t ask them about it since I didn’t know what they would receive as information on where or how to get the second PCR test. Edit: The good news is that they appear to be updating the list of locations because there is now a location in Trang which wasn’t on the list before. At least I didn’t see it. That is much closer to Phatthalung than Krabi. If they don’t add Phatthalung soon, Trang will be an acceptable alternative.

Have you entered Thailand yet? My family just arrived but they are sleeping now. I asked if they received any information at the airport about the 2nd PCR test and they said no. Hopefully they received information about it at their hotel where they had to download that Morchana App.

If you have a Thailand Pass then you must have uploaded (or someone else uploaded) photograph files (typically a JPG). A PDF is a type of computer document that is often provided when the provider doesn't want you to change the content. I think the PDF format was created by a company called Adobe. They have an application called Adobe Acrobat Reader that is free and used to read and print PDF files. But most web browsers can now be used to view and print a PDF file. You should be able to print the PDF file that you receive from the PCR testing facility. It will most likely come as an attachment to an email, or there will be a link in the email where you will be directed to in order to download the PCR test results. This is what my family had to do. Once the PDF file is downloaded to either your phone or computer, you should be able to print it, assuming you have access to a printer. If not, you can send the PDF file as an attachment in an email to someone that does have a printer.

In that Facebook page posted above, someone posted this link in a comment. I'm hoping the facilities on this list are able to perform the 5-7 day second PRC test because I see two locations in Phatthalung: https://service.dmsc.moph.go.th/labscovid19/indexen.php?fbclid=IwAR0jHNZu1Am9fJ3klxkvlNhXRiXTaQmElqqh1SKVuGPQm0M8HZKZ3vNlFA0

Does this link help you for Chiangrai? https://m.facebook.com/SanaknganSatharnsukhCanghwadCheiyngray/posts/2490899827712938?__tn__=R

My son just landed in Narita en route to Bangkok. He said he, his mom and sister each had a row of 3 seats to themselves. He reports there were many empty seats.

I wonder if what your GF was told is that she needs to be tested once after 7 days - not every day for seven days. I say this because this is the requirement for everyone entering Thailand on the Test & Go Thailand Pass currently.

My family boarded their flight to Tokyo en route to Bangkok. I made sure their test results included RT-PCR, so I don’t know if that was necessary or not but I didn’t want to take a chance. They are flying from Washington Dulles to Narita on ANA.

Are you already in Thailand?

I hope you are correct that any facility on this list is acceptable for performing the second free PCR test because I see Phatthalung Hospital on this list.

I forgot to mention that although I made sure that the test results from the first two clinics specifically stated that the test was an RT-PCR test, the results I got today only state the test was a PCR test. I hope this won’t cause any issues for my family. I know all COVID PCR tests are RT-PCR tests, but that doesn’t mean all of the airlines and government officials along the way understand this.

So you can have the test done locally so long as you pay for it yourself? I’m sure my family would rather do that than have to change their travel plans.

My family is heading to Phatthalung from Bangkok. Nothing available anywhere near them in that list you posted. Hopefully this gets updated or they’ll have to head to Krabi sooner than they anticipated.

What’s next in light of omicron? For my family, the latest hurdle was getting a PCR test on Christmas Eve. Originally I booked what I thought were set appointments for my family which turned out not to be. I was later told when I tried to confirm them that they were first-come first-served. So a day or so ago I found another clinic with available appointments. I prepaid so I assumed all was good. I woke up this morning to find an email stating that the clinic is closed and the appointments need to be rescheduled after Christmas. My family leaves for Thailand on December 26. So I rushed to the first clinic at 9:30 AM and I see the long line that is at least a 4 hour wait but probably much longer. The manager said they were closing at 4:00 PM. I didn’t trust that we would get tested before they closed. While waiting, my wife found a clinic with appointments available at 1:30 PM with results delivered within an hour. We scheduled and prepaid for the tests. Then I received a call asking if we could arrive a little earlier, so we arrived, were swabbed, and received a negative result for my son in about an hour. My wife’s negative result came about 30 minutes later. And my daughter’s negative result came about 45 minutes after that. It cost $199 for each test. The clinic that emailed me about being closed told me that they weren’t supposed to be open today but their website allowed us to book appointments anyway. They are refunding the $175 per test fee that I paid for. But the stress and frustration they caused us is worth much more than that. The combination of the omicron strain and the Holidays made this one stressful Christmas Eve.

I rarely see much pollution in either Phatthalung, Krabi or Nakhon Si Thammarat all the years I’ve visited these areas. I haven’t spent extended periods of time in these places but I’ve been to all of them at various times of the year.

I thought I had scheduled testing for my family only to be told when I double checked that it was a first-come first-serve clinic for COVID testing. I drove by the clinic to see where it was and there was a line formed outside in the cold, I asked the lady at the end of the line if she was waiting to be tested. She said she was and that the wait was 3 or 4 hours. My wife helped me find another location where appointments were available and prepayment ensures that the test will be administered. The results are guaranteed within 24 hours and are specifically intended for travel which required providing passport numbers. I scheduled the test for this Friday at 2:00 pm. They depart on Sunday at 11:00 am. I dreaded the possibility of them not getting tested in time. I’m relieved to know this should no longer be an issue. Now I have to hope that they all test negative.

For you, as of this moment, what this means is that instead of receiving an ATK test kit for you to test yourself 5 or 6 days after your negative RT-PCR test upon arrival, you will need to have a second RT-PCR test at some government approved facility. At least this is my understanding of the current situation.

For those saying the suspension of the Thailand Pass is a blow to tourism, I don't see it that way at all. Anyone willing to go through all the hoops required to obtain the Thailand Pass certainly aren't tourists. They are people with intimate ties to Thailand. As someone else said, Thai tourism is already dead. In my opinion, its in a coma.

If it was up to me, I’d cancel my family’s planned trip to leave for Thailand on December 26, but it’s not. My wife already missed seeing her father before he passed away last month and she wants to see her mom before she goes which will probably be within a few months. I’m concerned that my family will test positive before they leave. Cases in our high school went from a few each week to over 40 this weekend. None of my family are staying away from groups of other people. I see everything crashing down around us right before they’re scheduled to leave. Nothing I can do about any of this except to watch it all unfold. Like watching a slow-motion car crash. And now the pulling of the proverbial Thailand Pass rug from underneath them just adds to the insanity.

Since their overstay will be less than 24 hours I won’t worry about it. And even if they have to pay 500 THB each that’ll be OK. Thank you all for the useful information.

They arrive at 00:05 on December 28 and depart at 7:05 on January 27. I’ll tell them to make sure they don’t go through immigration on arrival until after midnight.

Yesterday I discovered that one of the return flights for my family (Haneda to Washington D.C.) was canceled. This flight was rebooked to leave out of Narita instead. Once I realized that the rebooked flight departs from Narita, I called back to change the flight from Bangkok so that it arrives in Narita instead of Haneda. However, the flight leaving Bangkok departs in the morning of the day after their original departure date. Since they arrive on December 28 and now depart from Thailand on January 27 (instead of January 26), their stay is now 31 days instead of 30 days. First question, will this cause any problems on their departure? Will the airlines look at their departure date and prevent them from boarding either in Washington or Narita? Next question, do they need to do something after arriving in Thailand to allow them to stay the additional day? If so, what do they need to do and where do they need to go to do it? I've heard of obtaining an extension of stay but we've never done this in the past. They plan on spending most of their time in Phatthalung and Krabi. In case this makes a difference, my family members are traveling with US passports. My wife and daughter have valid Thai IDs and they all have expired Thai passports. Initially they were going to get a Thai ID for my son and renew their Thai passports on this trip, but because they need me (their father) to sign documents we decided not to deal with that on this trip and just renew the Thai passport when they return and wait to get my son's ID later when I'm with them. Thank you in advance for your responses.

I assumed the OP meant 4500 THB/night for 7 nights. If so, that wouldn’t be cheap. However 4500 THB/week is dirt cheap (and probably dirty too!)

If I remember correctly, the application asked for an estimated departure date from Thailand. I believe you need COVID insurance that covers you for your estimated duration. I wonder what happens to those that declare a departure from Thailand in say 30 days, purchase insurance for 30 days, but then enter in on a 60 day visa?